exsilium | ◇ 001; video

[ she's put this off for almost a month now. what with looking out for madoka, keeping an eye on oriko mikuni, examining the surrounding areas and moving in with three other magical girls... there simply hasn't been time for something as frivolous as this. nonetheless, it's something that needs to happen at some point, and thus she has holed herself up in her room with her tablet at the ready.

today is the day homura akemi finally contacts the network.

when the feed comes on, a young woman with long black hair can be seen. some of you may already know her, for any number of reasons; her cool, formal demeanor is in effect as always, even if it's significantly less icy than it's been over the past few weeks. ]

My name is Homura Akemi. I arrived here a little over one month ago, and I've been working on settling in ever since. [ her words have a certain practiced, muted tone to them, as does the slight bow she gives the camera. ] It's nice to meet you all.

[ she closes her eyes, takes a breath, exhales- when she finally opens her eyes again, she resumes speaking in that controlled way of hers. ]

If the network is reliable, I've been to this place several times already. As such, some of you have likely met me before. I'd be very interested in meeting with anyone I once knew.

[ a slight pause, another breath, and then- ]

Thank you for your time.

[ and with that, she unceremoniously reaches out and closes the feed. ]

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[A girl sitting on a bench in the training hall. She should look striking, if not familiar.

She remembers Homura, from last month. And now seeing her on the network she realizes she has seen her long-haired Japanese schoolgirl form on these screens before and heard her melancholy voice over the speakers - an introduction, request for information, that she'd almost honored but hadn't gotten around to before it was too late.

The poor thing, then, is probably not used to time travel like this. (She genuinely thought this.) Kanaya shouldn't ignore her this time.]

You shouldn't be. Interested, that is. Investigation of such a nature only leads to pain.

Edited 2013-05-11 22:30 (UTC)

[ pain? she's long since passed that threshold. she'd be amused at the alien's words, even, if they weren't directly counterproductive to her goals. still, she is clearly attempting to provide advice, and since their last meeting was admittedly a brusque one... ]

Does it? I suppose I wouldn't know.

[ ...she decides to be polite for now. ]

And yet I still wish to find out what I can.

[Oh, Ms. Akemi. How innocent she seems to Kanaya right now, ignorant of the cruelties the multiverse has to offer. She was that way once. Before she tried to win over the affections of her old friends who shunned her based on the experiences they had had in different timelines.

Homura clearly has no idea what this is like. At all. Clearly Kanaya can somehow keep it that way.]

I did see "you" here before, though the meeting we had in the beginning of April was the first time.

But she wasn't you. That's what you're going to have to keep in mind, if you're going down this travel guidance structure. When you're confronted with whatever escapades alternate versions of yourselves got up to, keep in mind that they are separate persons.

[ aha.

so this person has met her before. seen her, rather. and that... might explain some her actions upon arrival. still, it does mean it's unlikely she'll be getting any further information out of her. she speaks in polite tones, and even if the same lack of warmth as always is clearly audible at least she's making an effort. ]

Separate or not, they are actions that I took for some reason. It's important to me, to know just what I have done.

[Homura has a wide view Kanaya had to work a long time to gain. She can view her alternates as an extension of herself, a luxury Kanaya lacks.]

It is important to know, I'll grant you that. Since there are going to be those who hold those actions against you regardless of who you really are.

[ how could she not? the girl she was once isn't around anymore - a stammering mess, a pile of trembles and complications and conditions she has left behind. when she acknowledges just what she's become - just who she once was - "alternates" don't seem that much of a stretch. ]

And should I be wary of them?

[ to say she hadn't considered it would be a lie; to say she was worried would be yet another. whatever actions she has taken in this place, whatever variant of her has set forth with her goals... she has no time to regret any possibilities. ]

You personally? In terms of having taken such actions? [She does have to think about this.

This girl is human; she most likely hasn't even murdered anyone.] Probably not.

But in theory? Inevitably.

I see.

[ does this person have enemies from the last time they were here? it doesn't matter and it's a waste of time, her first instinct states calmly and clearly. but that's not quite true here, is it? there are no time limits - no days of reckoning approaching with every rest. any information she can get a hold of is potentially useful, and for that... ]

And what about you? What sorts of consequences have you had to face?

[She shouldn't be so free with this information. But why not tell her? Why not be honest? Who'll care? Who'll know? If nothing else. Scare the poor thing straight.]

An alternate version of myself killed the person I loved.

[ how is one supposed to respond to that? all the gestures, all the little niceties she has repeated time and time again fail to cover a statement like that, and as for actual empathy...

she sighs, lightly closing her eyes before speaking. ]

My apologies. I shouldn't have pried.

[ "she wasn't you." if only she had such luxuries.

her sins are hers, and hers alone. ]

Yes you should have. [Of this much she's sure. If she tried to pry apart the vices surrounding this crime - why if she lost her memories she would do the same thing, what the other party could have done to attract such an infraction, how many of their friends feel the same way - that would be too much, she would recoil. But she wants Ms. Akemi to be aware of this risk at least.]

If I hadn't wanted you to know, would I have responded?

...I suppose not.

[ this alien, whoever she is, is... helpful. not exceedingly so, but she certainly is doing her best to provide information. whether she is trying to warn homura for selfless reasons or selfish ones is an entirely different question, of course. ]

Then thank you for your warning, at least.

Edited 2013-05-15 05:50 (UTC)

[Kanaya puts her hand to her jaw.] I'm trying to think of what else a transport in your position should need to know. With your initiative and duration of stay so far it seems likely you've gotten a handle on, for example, locations in Exsilium.

That would be correct.

[ she's roamed the area for almost a month now, and what few places she hadn't bothered checking on madoka had been more than keen to show her personally.

she doesn't speak up after her affirmation, choosing to wait on kanaya's next words instead. ]

[Aw. This reflects well on Homura but Kanaya does love telling people about where to buy clothes and such.] Mm, I expected as much, but... it's been quite a long time since the last mandatory mission as assigned. With the timing of your arrival, you haven't had any experience with those yet, have you?

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